Troubles are part of life.

    Count on it.

Rain does fall. Prepare for it.

I remember a time a few years ago when my girls and I were at the beach.

A sudden shower sent us ducking into a nearby store.

As we stood together inside watching the heavy downpour

   I heard the voice of a man.

   Turning my head I saw the elderly man behind the counter looking at  us.

“It’s just rain,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Sudden showers were frequent. He should know living here at the beach all his life.

“Just rain,” we all repeated looking again outside as the rain gushed.

But for us it meant

   no time on the beach, at least not for a few hours,

   getting soaked since we were without car

       and our room was a long walk away

   change of plans

   an inconvenience.

But

  the man was right!

It was just rain.

Why do we always think things will go the way we plan?

That vacations mean sunny days every day?

That there won’t be time when we need to be flexible?

All of a sudden we all laughed.

Just rain. A great perspective.

After a few minutes we all dashed out of the store, across the street

   and up the sidewalk that led to our home away from home.

Sure we got wet

     completely soaked.

     no photo from that experience

 But in my heart it left a shining moment that I remember to this day.

Rain will come.

It’s just rain.

Days of eternal bliss are for heaven.

While we are here on earth

    let’s encourage each other with words of hope and cheer.

When the rain comes

    and troubles mount

        Jesus told us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart.

               I have overcome the world. I have told you things so that in Me

               you may have peace.” (John 16:33)

Our peace is not about having a trouble free life.

No, it’s about knowing Him

        snuggling into His everlasting arms of love

         in the midst of trouble.

Yes, as we watch the rain falling around us

   Let’s remember,

      “You are loved with an everlasting Love

         and underneath are His everlasting arms.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

Shining moments all around.

For the darker it gets

    the more obvious is His Glorious Light.